One61’s DC Smartwatch makes you a fit crimefighter (review)

So, a little bit of honesty: I’m kind of a big guy. I mean, I’m a gamer/comic book/movie nerd, so that should say it; I spend a lot of time on my butt. So being active and moving around…not my strong suit. So when I got this smartwatch from One61, I assumed that it was just going to be an accessory to wear when I’m at the comic book shop or movies. Boy, was I wrong.

One61 Studio has partnered with DC Comics on a Superhero Smartwatch Collection to create a line of DC smartwatches that allow fans of their favorite superheroes to bling up their wrists with some tech swag! Whether it’s Wonder Woman, The Flash or Batman, these smartwatches are able to integrate with both Apple and Android phones, giving usability to both sides of the spectrum. Here are a few of the specs for the smartwatches:

So I’ve been wearing the smartwatch for at least a month now. I received the Batman style watch, so I was pretty stoked. I’ve had smartwatches before, so I’m no stranger to them. From Garmin to Apple, Huawei to Samsung, I’ve worn and tried them all using my iPhone 7 Plus. The first thing I needed to do was to download the One61 Watch app, which allows you to connect to the phone and create an account, allowing you to have an opportunity to monitor your health levels.

Once connected, the phone has a lot of cool features! You can remotely access your camera, giving you a way to take group pictures with ease. You are able to change up to five different watch faces — including my favorite, the classic 1960’s Adam West Batman and Burt Ward Robin. The watch allows you to sync the smartwatch to your phone, giving you access your contacts, call logs, notifications and even make and answer calls. Although these are all great functions, I wasn’t a fan of the microphone and speaker, as it didn’t sound of good quality.

Another negative was that although Android users can read and reply to text messages, iOS users are limited to only reading SMS texts in the notifications section of the smartwatch operating system. There is no iMessage compatibility. So instead of checking my smartwatch for my messages, I’m relegated to having to see that I have a notification, and then having to fish my phone out of my pocket to see what’s up. The idea of convenience should be ingrained in the design and function of a smartwatch, and I feel like this is a major drawback for iOS users, since most other designs have some form of integration.

One of the best features of the smartwatch, however, was its ability to make moving around and being active a bit more fun, adding a gaming aspect to being active. The smartwatch periodically notifies you to get up and stretch your legs, which is called the Patrol Reminder. When you get up and start moving, you begin to meet step goals that unlock superhero content based on your themed watch. Instead of a step counter, the Batman Smartwatch calls it Crime Fighting. When I reached a step goal that is set by me, I get rewarded with a five-second video clip of Adam West’s Batman punching the Joker!

When it comes to products such as this, nevertheless, there’s always one thing that stands a head above the rest: the results. Does it help or hinder? Are you finding yourself having fun, or does this do a poor job at masking the droll work of being active? The answer: it totally helps! I’m finding myself getting up, excited to see that five-second little clip of Batman knocking out the Joker, getting lost in the fact that I’m moving around. Most products, like Fitbit, have goals that are set, and give you the reward of fireworks or something simple. Who doesn’t want to see Batman at his crime-fighting finest?

All in all, the Batman Smartwatch does do a good job at what it’s overall function is: making me get off my butt and get moving. And as I stated earlier, who doesn’t like some nerd credibility when their trying to be active and healthy? It’s a great piece to add to your ensemble if you’re ready to go out there, and kick some crime-fighting booty!

The One61 Batman Smartwatch, priced at $124.99, is available at one61.com!